Display sign



May 11 1926. 1,583,912 C. L. BESWICKE DISPLAY SIGN Filed April 20. 19252 Sheets-Shut 1 -INVENYTOR'.'HQ. 3- QweMsLJAsMu- ATT EY.

May 11 1926.

c. L. BESWICKE' DISPLAY SIGN Filed April 20, 1925-- 2 Shegt-Sheet .2

Patented May 11, 1926.-

{UNITED S 'A crmnnns L. rnswrcxn, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AssIe'No-a oMonnnn-sroncom- PANY, me, or DETRO T, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION orMICHIGAN.

1,583,912 PATENT OFFICE.

DISPLAY srerr.

Application filed April 20,1925. Serial No.24,483.

This invention relates to display signs, and more particularly to thattype of signs wherein a series of words or symbols are exhibited indaylight and illuminated at nightby lamps arranged upon or within the Ithas long been customary to build dis play signs having illuminatinglamps within the sign casing and letters on one or both sides formed ofopaque material on translucent plates or with apertured opaque platescovering all the translucent surfaces except the. letters, butheretofore the build ing ofsuch signs has been a tedious and expensiveproceedin'g because each sign was separately designed and then built upof various shaped parts soldered or otherwise united to formcan integralwhole. It is the primary object of my invention to do away with thisindependent building up of each sign. and provide a substantiallystandard sign casing construction the parts of which can. bemanufacturedin quantities and preliminarily assembled in readiness to;receive any desired set of letters orsymbols, which may be quicklyapplied to the signcasing after it has' been mounted in displayposition.

Another objectw of this invention is; the provision of. .asign casing ofsheet metal having substantially identical top and bottom membersextending length-wise of the entiresign, andcarrying spaced brackets. ateither .or both sides adapted to form theupper and lower members ofletter supporting frames, and, a series of 'substantiallyjidenticalspacingmembers adapted to be secured at their extremities to the top andbottom sign members and. carrying lateral flanges adapted to .co-actwith :said brackets .tocomplete the letter supporting frames, theflanges on each spacing member preferably forming side portions ofadjacent letter. supporting frames. I,

A further object of this invention is the arrangement of a serieso-fletter supporting frames-projecting from either or both sides of a.sign, casing against which transparent or translucent display plates maybe held by flanged securingmembers fitting over the edges of the displayplates and bolted or otherwise secured to the supporting frames.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, wherein reference, is made to the accompanying drawingsillustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherei-nsimr'lar reference numerals. designate similar parts throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings: a

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of a-display sign constructed in accordancewith my invention. 1

Figs. 2 and 3 are detail perspective :views ofthe top and bottom membersof. the sign casing.

F'g. 4. is a det-ail perspective view ofone of the flanged spacingmembers.

' Fi 5 is a detail cross section taken substantially on the line5-.'5ofFig. L

Fig. his a detail cross section taken substantiallyon the line 6-6 -ofFig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal sectiontaken substantially on the line 77of Fig. 1

Fig. 8- is a frontelevation of a slightly modified form of'displayplate.

Fig. 9 is a central vertical section taken substantially on the line 9 9of Fig. '8, and Fig. 10 is a rear elevation of the display plate shownin Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 7 of the drawlngs, the numeral 5 designatesthe'top member of the sign and 6 the bottom member thereof. As bestshown 'in'Figs. 2 and 3, these members 5 and 6 are substantially"identical in construction each comprising a horizontal central portionwith side portions at substantially right angles thereto and carrying at'their'edges a plurality of spaced laterally'projecting brackets 7adapted to form the upper and lower members of a series of lettersupporting frames. Each bracket 7 is preferably formed with a horizontal portion at substantially right angles to the sides of the topandbottom'members 5 and 6 and a substantially vertical flange againstwhich the letter carrying -plates engage when the sign is assembled.

The top and bottom members are separated .from each other bya-series ofspacing-members 8, best shown in Figs. 4 and 7, havingv end tabs 8adapted to be welded or :other-: 'wise secured to the inner-faces of thesides of the .top and bottom members 5' and 6 (note dotted lines in Fig.1). Between the tabs 8 each spacing member is'formed with side flanges 8having a portion extending vertically at substantially right angles tothe center portion of the spacing member and.

flanges extending laterally in opposite direc lid tially the same widthas the horizontal por- 'tions of the brackets 7 on the top and bottommembers 5 and 6, whereby when the spacing members are in position theside flanges thereof are adapted to align with the vertical portions ofthe brackets 7 to complete a. letter supporting frame.

The preferred positioning of the spacing members 8 substantially asshown in Fig. 1 permits the lateral flanges 8* of each spacing member toform the side flanges of adjacent letter supporting frames. If desired,the ends of the sign. may be closed by separate end members suitablysecured to the top and bottom members 5 and 6 and provided with a singleprojecting flange 9 on each side to form the outer sides of the endlettersupporting frames of the sign.

Transparent or translucent plates 10 are arranged with their rear facesin contact with the letter-supporting frames, and are held in suchposition by flanged plates 11 fitting over the edges of the translucentplates 10 and supporting frames, substantially as shown in Figs. 5 and6. These flanged plates 11 may be fastened to the top and bottom membersby means of screws 12 or other suitable securing means. It will beunderstood that the plates 10 may bear on their face pigment or othersuitable material for forming the body of the letter or symbol to bedisplayed in each letter sup porting frame, or if desired the plates 10,

may be unmarked and the flanged plate 11 cover all the surface of thetranslucent plate 10 except that forming the letter or symbol to bedisplayed. Any desired means of marking the plates 10 might be employed,and those described are in common use among sign manufacturers, and formno part of the present invention.

A series to electric lamps 12 may be suitably secured to the top orbottom member of the sign, or to both, whereby the desired illuminationof the several. letters or symbols forming the sign will be secured. Itwill be noted, however, that it is unnecessary to leave openings in thetop and bottom members of the sign to permit access to the lamps 12because easy access is provided by the removal of one or more of thetranslucent plates 10 whenever desired.

In Figs. 8 to 101 have illustrated a modified form of display platewherein an opaque plate 1'5 is marked on its front surface with theletter or symbol to be displayed, by

painting, etching, embossing or other desired means. A plurality of lampsockets 16 are .sultably mounted in the plate 15 to support electriclamps 17 to illuminate the front face of the plate and particularlybring out the letter or symbol therein at night. As herein shown thesockets 16 extend through apertures in the plate so that the lamps 17project forwardly of the plate 15 and wires 18 for conneeting theseveral sockets with a suitable source of power can be arrangedrearwardly of the plate. Rearwardly extending flanges 'l9 may be formedat the edges of the plate 15 to fit over the letter supporting frames ofthe sign, and may be suitably secured thereto in any desired manner. Itwill be evident, however, that the plate 15 may be formed without theedge flanges 19 and then supported against the letter supporting framesby means of the flanged plates 11.

While I have illustrated and described a similar construction on bothsides of a sign. it will be understood that some signs may bemanufactured with letters or symbols on only one side thereof, or ifdesired, a single translucent plate may be utilized on one side of thesign and a series of smaller translucent plates utilized on the other.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1.'A display sign having top andbottom members provided with spaced brackets adapted to form upper andlower portions of letter supporting frames, a .series of verticalspacing members having lateral flanges adapted to form the sideportions'of said letter supporting frames, display plates arrangedexteriorly of the said frames, and flanged supporting members fittingover the display plates and frames.

2. A display sign having top and bottom members provided with spacedbrackets adapted to form upper and lower portions of letter supportingframes, a series of vertical spaced members having lateral flangesadapted to form the side portions of adjacent letter supporting frames,display plates arranged exteriorly of the said frames, flangedsupporting members fitting over the display plates and: frames, andmeans for detachably holding the supporting members in position.

3. A display sign having top and bottom members provided with spacedlaterally pro jecting vertically aligned brackets adapted to form upperand lower portions of letter supporting frames, a series of verticalspacing members having lateral flanges adapted to form the side portionsof said letter supporting frames, display plates arranged exteriorly ofthesaid frames, flanged supporting members fitting over the displavplates and frames, and'means for detachably holding the supportingmember in position.

4. A display sign having substantially identical integral top and bottommembers provided with a series of laterally projecting verticallyalignedbrackets adapted to form the upper and lower portions of lettersupporting frames a series of vertical spacing members arranged betweenthe brackets and provided Withlateral flanges adapted to form the sideportions of adjacent letter supporting frames, display plates arrangedexterior-1y of each letter supporting frame.

and a supporting member fitting-over each display plate and frame anddetachably se-l cured to the frame.

5. A display sign having top and bottom members provided with aplurality of later ally projecting brackets adapted to form the upperand lower portions of letter support-- in g frames, a series of verticalspacing members arranged between the brackets and secured to the top andbottom members, each form the .side portions of adjacent lettersupporting frames, letter carrying plates arranged with their rear facesin contact with said letter supporting frames, flanged sup-- portingmembers fitting over the letter carrying plates and frames, andilluminating means mounted Within the sign In witness whereof I hereuntoset my CHARLES L. BESWICKE.v

hand.

